World Approval wins seasonal debut in Tampa Bay Stakes

Champion World Approval backed up his 1-5 favoritism in Saturday’s Grade 3, $175,000 Tampa Bay Stakes, easily holding off a challenge to earn his fourth consecutive win.

The Tampa Bay, run at 1 1/16 miles on the turf for 4 year olds and up, marked World Approval’s 6-year-old debut and serves as a prep for the Group 1 Dubai Turf March 31. It was also the gelding’s first race back since winning the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Mile and earning the Eclipse Award for Champion Turf Male.

The field was quick to spread out after the break. La Ken and Western Reserve pulled far ahead and set opening fractions of :23.25 and :46.66. World Approval was back in third under jockey John Velazquez, followed by Doctor Murphy and Forge. Cheyenne’s Colonel, Fire Away and Tasit were spaced out at the rear.

World Approval began closing the gap in front of him as they approached the quarter pole in 1:10.32. While the champ was gearing up for a big run, Doctor Murphy and Cheyenne’s Colonel fell and unseated jockeys Antonio Gallardo and Manoel Cruz. Both horses got up and appeared to be OK as Forge moved up to challenge World Approval. The gray gelding fought right back and stopped the clock in 1:40.66.

Finishing behind Forge was Fire Away, Tasit, Noble Thought, Le Ken and Western Reserve.

Doctor Murphy and Cheyenne's Colonel, as well as Gallardo and Cruz, appeared to be unhurt. Cruz was transported to a hospital, where they found no serious injuries.

Winning trainer Mark Casse was already analyzing the race and what it means going forward.

"I feel bad for the two horses that fell and those jockeys," said Casse. "He [World Approval] has been better than he was today, but hopefully this will set a nice foundation for him this year. He's a funny horse -- he is not going to let you by."

Velazquez was in agreement.

"He was coming off a long layoff and sometimes they need a race," the jockey said," but he's still a true champion and he put everybody away down the lane. I think when we passed a mile it was getting a little long for him with the layoff and it [the extra sixteenth] hit him right in the head a little bit."

Even if he was not his best, World Approval, a homebred for Live Oak Plantation, still improved his career record to 25:12-2-4 with the Tampa Bay win and pushed his earnings over the $3 million mark.